Quite fancy doing the Kielder Montane 100 next year but I'm a bit unsure if my bike might be overkill for the course. I currently ride a Saracen Zen with 140mm Vanilla's up front with heavy but bashable rims.

What will everyone else be riding? Dunno if I should invest in a race HT with a little less travel? 100 miles on a heavy bike could be a nightmare!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

If/when I make the leap my recent extravagance (child on the way, hope it lasts 18 years minimum) Fuel EX9 will be my companion (lighter and generally nicer than my Carrera Fury, Claude Butler Urban 300 might not be up to the job) but am looking forward to seeing what might I should be riding 🙂

i would guess short travel full sus. spark. epic . anthem .

I'd say something light, for those miles in the middle when you feel like cack

There was almost every kind of bike you could imagine there last year, from uberlight carbon full sus to steel rigid singlespeeds.

Ride whatever you'd normally ride for long off-road rides.

I rode this:

I didn't have the tribag on, but wished I had and it'll be there next year.

did you do 100 miles on flats mike? 😯

If I do it I will be doing it on a Stumpy with 140mm of travel as it's my lightest most comfortable bike. I can lock out the suspension for any climbs or fire road.

I did the Selkirk Merida on a 140mm 456 with flats and it wasn't that bad as at the time I rode everything on that bike.

You will probably be alright. If it was my money I'd get some new wheels. Something lighter that still fitted with the rest of the bike. Hope hoops with flows?

If you've got the money then get a new bike or if you think you will use it afterwards then get a new bike. BUT make sure you've done long rides on it before you do the 100 miles.

My personal choice for something like that would be a lightweight short travel full sus – Specialiazed Epic, Scott Spark, Trek Fuel etc.
As usual at enduro events/24hr races etc, there's people there on all sorts – more depends on your training and preparation than the bike (within reason).

did you do 100 miles on flats mike?

I do all my riding on flats.

I'll be on my Chumba XCL, I can wind the front down on the climbs and enable pro pedal, should be fun on the downs then, that and my other bike is a hardtail and I'd like to use a full suss for this. (something a little light might be better though but I am not buying a bike for one race!!)

It's funny to think that 4 laps of Kirroughtree Red and Black would be about race distance and I can bearly do 1 lap of that without cramp so it's going to be a challenge to do this but looking forward to it already, when I finish the 100 it will be a big achievement at least for me.

Thing is, I don't really DO long offroad rides! I usually ride for 6-7 hours max, then I start to get a bit saddle sore. I think this could be to do with the I-beam sadlle/seatpost combo.

Hmm… Decisions decisions!

I'm planning on entering some time next year, I'll be riding an Anthem, 85mm of travel at the front, 90mm at the back, set up just for long rides, weighs in at just under 25lbs at the minute. Reckon it should do the job nicely. 🙂

maybe I'll need to revise the bike choice though I am entering to complete it not to win it, (as there is no chance of a podium finish) finishing it would feel like winning to me, so plodding at the back with a 32lb bike should be ok 🙂

Don't forget, when it's dark you'll want enough travel to forgive those half asleep moments of terror as you hit a rock garden way too fast.
At least, that's what happened to me at my last relentless 24. I'll be going for more travel next time, just for the added escape from human error factor…..

MikeTually – that there explains why you were DFL. 😉

I was going to ask the same question. Currently use an Anthem for summer races and Inbred single speed for winter races/training. I'm thinking of going ali hardtail, with 1×9 gears. I need to work out what's the smallest chainring I can use.
I think you need to plan for the last 20 miles even if it means a less then ideal bike for the first 80.

Goan – Member
MikeTually – that there explains why you were DFL.

No, that explains why he is a TFH (Total F'in Hero/Headcase, delete as appropriate) 🙂

bloody hell mike that makes you about twice as hard as you think you are.
good work sir.

Don't forget, when it's dark you'll want enough travel to forgive those half asleep moments of terror as you hit a rock garden way too fast.

Everyone should be finished before dark next year, as the time cut-offs have been revised, and will be a bit more strictly enforced.

SC Superlight was perfect. Sure, you could go lighter but after such a long time in the saddle comfort becomes a big factor.

Mike, where'd you get the info about stricter enforcement on cutoff times?

Mike, where'd you get the info about stricter enforcement on cutoff times?

Was mentioned on here, I think. Apparently, people who made it to the last time cut off after the cut off time were allowed to continue.

I think they want to avoid having people finish in the dark.

I think they want to avoid having people finish in the dark

That'd be you they're talking about Mike 🙂

That'd be you they're talking about Mike

Yup, though I did make the final time cut off 🙂

Tallboy?

Mike, nice bike, not sure i'd fancy 100k on it though.
Did you weigh it?

re single speeding a few questions, does that chain tensioner work well, do you use a specific single speed chain, how did you work out chain length and could i get away with using a raceface middle ring up front??

How soon is now – this is a strictly imperial race this one.

somewhat tiring i would imagine.

Mike, nice bike, not sure i'd fancy 100k on it though.

100k… 100 miles more like it

Hopefully have a race bike by then. Rode a 32lb turner 5 spot last year ( lyrics, high rollers etc) so not light and finshed a respectfull 11th open males. Defo looking for something 22lb mark, maybe lighter. The course last year was alot of fire road so light n fast is preferable compared to heavy n comfy

Did you weigh it?

No, I've never weighed a bike.

re single speeding a few questions, does that chain tensioner work well, do you use a specific single speed chain, how did you work out chain length and could i get away with using a raceface middle ring up front??

Yes, no, short as possible, possibly.

thanks for replies

Anything that gives you a mental boost. If you can no longer find excuses to stop related to the bike then you have a genuine reason to stop.

My bike was perfect, I was not.

I finished it last year on a 33lb 2006 Heckler with Fox Van 36's and very fat tyres. There were maybe a couple of bikes that were near to this weight (a burly Orange 5 and Turner mentioned above) but I definately felt very over biked, looking around at the start!

It was hard work (on the ups anyway!). Not convinced it was much of an advantage on the downs TBH.

I will lighten it up by a few lbs for next year (forks, tyres and wheels), as I cant afford another bike at the mo but I think if I could choose any bike, then it would prob be a Spark or an Anthem.

A hardtail would prob be quickest if you are a light rider who can cope with the fatigue a hardtail brings.